Removable heatsink fin assembly

ABSTRACT

A removable heatsink assembly adapted to removably receive a pipe. The removable heatsink assembly includes a first plurality of fins and a second plurality of fins having collar flanges sized to receive a pipe. The fins are received on first and second spacer rods, respectively and are hingedly connected by a hinge rod such that the first and second plurality of fins are pivotally movable about the hinge rod between an open position and a closed position. In the open position, the first and second plurality of fins are positionable over the pipe. In the closed position, the collar flanges of the first and second plurality of fins substantially surround the pipe. A fin clamp secures the first and second plurality of fins together in the closed position about the pipe.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/945,188 filed Jul. 18, 2013, which claims the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Application No. 61/673005, filed, Jul. 18, 2012.

BACKGROUND

Hot water baseboard style radiator systems are used extensively inresidential and commercial buildings. Such systems typically utilizecopper pipes having closely spaced aluminum fins (often called “finnedtubes”) that run along the length of a wall. The finned tubes aretypically covered by a housing or cover panel for decorative purposes,protection of the fins, and to promote convection currents. Inoperation, hot water flows through the pipes heating the pipes. Heat istransferred from the hot pipes to the fins by conduction. Due to thelarge surface area of the fins, heat is transferred to the surroundingair. As the air is warmed as it passes between the fins, the warm airrises and the cooler air is drawn toward the finned tubes creating anatural convection current.

The aluminum fins of the finned tube are fixed to the copper pipesthrough a process known as swedging to provide a tight fit and uniformcontact between the fins and the tube thereby securing the fins in placealong the pipe and ensuring efficient heat conduction. However, thealuminum fins can often become bent or damaged from impact therebyreducing air flow between the fins which can affect the efficiency ofheat transfer from the fins to the surrounding air. Because the fins arefixed to the pipes, the fins are not easily replaceable withoutreplacing an entire section of the finned tube which may extend for manyfeet. Additionally, finned tubes are typically available only instandard lengths unless the lengths are custom ordered at significantlyhigher cost than standard lengths. Thus, depending on room size or walllength, the standard length finned tubes may be too long for aparticular wall or room, requiring the use of a shorter length standardfinned tube than is desired or resulting in the decision to not providea baseboard radiator on a particular wall. Similarly, when it is desiredto move a wall in a residential or commercial building during remodelingwhere an existing baseboard style radiator is installed, it is oftennecessary to replace the entire length of the finned tube when, ideally,only a short section would need to be removed or added. Also if itbecomes necessary to repair or replace a section of the radiator pipe,it is necessary to either replace the entire length of the finned tubecontaining the damaged pipe, or it is necessary to cut the fins away toexposed the damaged pipe section so the damaged pipe section can be cutand replaced, leaving a gap in the fins where the fins were cut away,resulting in unbalanced heat delivery.

Accordingly, there is a need for a removable radiator fin assembly whichwill provide a solution to the foregoing disadvantages of baseboardradiator systems with finned tubes having the fins fixed to the radiatorpipes, and which provides better or nearly the same BTUs per hour perfoot (BTU/hr/ft) as finned tubes with fixed fins of the same pipe sizeand fin size. There is also a need for an attachable and removableheatsink which can be applied to any pipe, conduit, tube or lineapplication in which it is desired to radiate heat into a space or todissipate heat away from the pipe, conduit, tube or line.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a removableheatsink assembly in an open position to receive a pipe.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of mating fins of theremovable heatsink assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of an embodiment of a clamp for securing theremovable heatsink assembly of FIG. 1 about a pipe.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the removable heatsink assembly ofFIG. 1 positioned around a pipe.

FIG. 5 is another perspective view of the removable heatsink assembly ofFIG. 4 positioned around a pipe.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a removableheatsink assembly positioned over a pipe.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the circled portion of theremovable heatsink assembly of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the circled portion of theremovable heatsink assembly of FIG. 6 with the pipe removed.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the removable heatsink assembly of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the circled portion of the removableheatsink assembly of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of the removable heatsink assembly ofFIG. 6.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view as viewed along lines 12-12 of theremovable heatsink assembly of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is the same view as FIG. 12, but showing the heatsink assemblyin the open position to received the pipe.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a fin of the removableheatsink assembly of FIG. 6.

FIG. 15 is a front elevation view of the fin of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a side elevation view of the fin of FIG. 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a removableheatsink assembly 1 adapted to be attachable and removable from a pipe.As used herein, the term “pipe” should be understood as including anytype of pipe, tube, line or conduit to which it may be desirable toapply a removable heatsink in order to radiate heat into a space or todissipate heat away from the pipe.

The removable heatsink assembly comprises a first plurality of fins 10and a second plurality of fins 20. Each of the first and secondplurality of fins 10, 20 are preferably substantially identical andstamped from thin plate aluminum or other material which efficientlyconducts and radiates heat.

Referring to FIG. 2, in one embodiment, each fin 10, 20 includes aspacer rod hole 60, a hinge rod hole 70 and a collar flange 80. Thehinge rod hole 70 may be provided with a reinforcing ring 71 toreinforce the thin plate around the hinge rod hole. The spacer rod hole60 may be stamped to produce a spacer tab 61 which may be bent outwardlyto serve as a spacer between adjacent fins and to serve as a guide forthe spacer rods 30, 32 (discussed below). The collar flange 80 is sizedto receive the pipe 100 as illustrated in FIG. 4

A spacer rod 30 extends through the spacer rod holes 60 of the firstplurality of fins 10 and a second spacer rod 32 extends through thespacer rod holes 60 of the second plurality of fins 20. The fins 10, 20are oriented on the spacer rods 30, 32 with the collar flanges 80extending in the same direction such that the collar flanges 80 abut anadjacent fin thereby serving as spacers to ensure that the fins areequally spaced along the spacer rods 30, 32 to better and more uniformlyradiate heat. The spacer tabs 61 may also serve as spacers and may serveas guides for the spacer rods 30, 32 as the rods are inserted througheach of the spacer rod holes 60.

The spacer rods 30, 32, with the first and second plurality fins 10, 20received respectively thereon, are oriented such that the collar flanges80 and spacer tabs 61 of the first plurality of fins 10 extend in afirst direction and the collar flanges 80 and spacer tabs 61 of thesecond plurality of fins 20 extend in a second direction opposite fromthe first direction. The hinge rod holes 70 of the first and secondplurality of fins are then aligned to receive the hinge rod 40therethrough, thereby pivotally joining the first plurality of fins 10with the second plurality of fins 20, such that the first and secondfins are pivotally movable between an open position (FIG. 1) and aclosed position (FIG. 4). In the open position the first and secondplurality of fins 10, 20 are positionable over a pipe 100. In the closedposition, the collar flanges 80 of the first and second plurality offins 10, 20 substantially surround the pipe 100. It should beappreciated that if the fins 10, 20 were instead stamped to be mirrorimages of one another, it would not be necessary to flip or orient thespacer rods so the collar flanges 80 and spacer tabs 61 are in theopposite direction to assemble the assembly 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a clamp 50 for securing the firstand second plurality of fins 30, 32 together about the pipe 100 in tightrelation by snapping over the spacer rods 30 as best illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5. The clamp 50 includes a tab 51 and notches 52, 53. Thenotches 52, 53 are positioned over the spacer rods 30, and the clamp 50is pressed downwardly forcing the spacer rods 30 into the notches 52, 53thereby securing the first and second plurality of fins 10, 20 togetherby the clamp 50, with the other end of the fins 10, 20 being heldtogether by the hinge rod 40.

Once the first and second plurality of fins 10, 20, and rods 30, 40 areassembled as described above, the assembly 1 is pivoted to the openposition (FIG. 1) for placing over the pipe 100. The assembly 1 is thensecured in place by the clamp 50 as previously described and as shown inFIGS. 4 and 5.

The fins 10, 20, the fin clamps 50 and the collar flanges 80 may be madein various sizes to accommodate different sizes of standard pipediameters, although the components may be specially fabricated orcustomized to accommodate any desired pipe diameter and the fins may besized as desired according to available space requirements or heatdissipation requirements. The lengths of the hinge rods and spacer rods,and thus the length of the assembly 1, may also be standardized inpredetermined lengths but may be customized to any desired length. Thus,the assemblies may be used in any residential, commercial or industrialapplications, whether to replace missing fins after repairs have beenmade to piping or for new construction or repairs to balance heatdelivery to a space or to dissipate heat from the pipe.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a removableheatsink fin assembly 200. As in the previously described embodiment,each of the first and second plurality of fins 210, 220 are preferablysubstantially identical and are stamped from thin plate aluminum orother material which efficiently conducts and radiates or dissipatesheat.

Referring to FIGS. 14-16, in one embodiment, each fin 210, 220 includesa spacer rod hole 260, a hinge rod hole 270 and a collar flange 280. Thehinge rod hole 270 may be provided with a reinforcing ring 271 toreinforce the thin plate around the hinge rod hole 270. The spacer rodhole 260 may be stamped to produce a spacer tab 261 which may be bentoutwardly to serve as a spacer between adjacent fins and to serve as aguide for the spacer rods 230, 232. The collar flange 280 is sized toreceive the pipe 100 as best illustrated in FIGS. 9, 14 and 15. The fins210, 220 may include a notch to receive the first and second bars 310,320 of the fin clamp 300 (described later).

A spacer rod 230 extends through the spacer rod holes 260 of the firstplurality of fins 210 and a second spacer rod 232 extends through thespacer rod holes 260 of the second plurality of fins 220. The fins 210,220 are oriented on the respective spacer rods 230, 232 with each of thecollar flanges 280 extending in the same direction such that the collarflanges 280 abut an adjacent fin thereby serving as spacers to ensurethat the fins are equally spaced along the spacer rods 30, 32 to betterand more uniformly radiate or dissipate heat. The spacer tabs 261 mayalso serve as spacers and may serve as guides for the spacer rods 230,232 as the rods are inserted through each of the spacer rod holes 260.Spacer rod caps 233 may be used to retain the fins 210, 220 on thespacer rods 230, 232.

The spacer rods 230, 232, with the first and second plurality of fins210, 220 received respectively thereon, are flipped or oriented suchthat the collar flanges 280 and spacer tabs 261 of the first pluralityof fins 210 extend in a first direction and the collar flanges 280 andspacer tabs 261 of the second plurality of fins 220 extend in a seconddirection opposite from the first direction. The hinge rod holes 270 ofthe first and second plurality of fins are then aligned to receive thehinge rod 240 therethrough, thereby pivotally joining the firstplurality of fins 210 with the second plurality of fins 220, such thatthe first and second fins are pivotally movable between an open position(FIG. 13) and a closed position (FIG. 12). In the open position thefirst and second plurality of fins 210, 220 are positionable over thepipe 100. In the closed position, the collar flanges 280 of the firstand second plurality of fins 210, 220 substantially surround the pipe100 and the assembly 200 is secured onto the pipe by a fin clamp 300.Hinge rod caps 243 may be used to retain the fins 210, 220 on the hingerods 240.

It should be appreciated that if the fins 210, 220 were instead stampedto be mirror images of one another, it would not be necessary to flip ororient the spacer rods so the collar flanges 280 and spacer tabs 261 arein the opposite direction to assemble the assembly 200.

In one embodiment as illustrated in FIGS. 6-12, the fin clamp 300comprises first and second bars 310, 320 which are positioned onopposite sides the first and second fins when in the closed position.The bars 310, 320 included elongated holes 322 spaced along theirlengths. Threaded fasteners, such as stove bolts 324 and nuts 326restrain the first and second fins together about the pipe 100. In theembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6-12, the stove bolts 324 extend throughthe holes 322 in the bars 310, 320, passing between the adjacentlyspaced first fins and second fins 210, 220. By tightening the nuts 326onto the stove bolts 324, the collar flanges 280 are drawn toward thepipe 100 to ensure tight contact between the collar flanges 280 and thepipe 100 to improve heat transfer from the pipe 100 to the fins 210,220.

As in the previous embodiment, the fins 210, 220, the fin clamp assembly300 and the collar flanges 280 may be made in various sizes to fitaround and to accommodate different sizes of standard pipe diameters,although the components may be specially fabricated or customized toaccommodate any desired pipe diameter and the fins may be sized asdesired according to available space requirements or heat dissipationrequirements. Also as in the previous embodiment, the lengths of thehinge rod 40 and spacer rods 30, and thus the length of the assembly200, may also be standardized in predetermined lengths but may becustomized to any desired length. Thus, the assemblies may be used inany residential, commercial or industrial applications, whether toreplace missing fins after repairs have been made to piping or for newconstruction or repairs to balance heat delivery to a space or todissipate heat from the pipe.

It has been found that each of the removable heatsink assemblyembodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings providesbetter or nearly the same BTUs per hour per foot (BTU/hr/ft) as finnedtubes with fixed fins of the same pipe size and fin size.

Non-limiting examples of applications where it may be desirable to applya removable heatsink assembly 1, 200 as disclosed herein to a pipe, mayinclude electrical conduits through which electrical wires are routed.In such an application, the removable heatsink assembly 1, 200 willeffectively dissipate heat generated by the flow of electrical currentthrough the electrical wires within the conduit. By applying theheatsink assembly 1, 200 to electrical conduits to more effectivelydissipate heat away from the electrical conduit, smaller gauge wires maybe utilized than would otherwise be required without a heatsink appliedto the electrical conduit. In another non-limiting example, theremovable heatsink assembly 1, 200 may be applied to oil lines of aircooled engines of vehicles to more effectively dissipate heat away fromthe oil lines. In another non-limiting example, the removable heatsinkassembly 1, 200 may be applied to compressed gas lines, such as the typeof lines utilized for communicating compressed nitrogen, helium or othercompressed gases, in order to more effectively dissipate heat away fromthe compressed gas lines. In yet another non-limiting example, theremovable heatsink assembly 1, 200 may be applied to conduits or pipesused to communicate fluids to a bottling or packaging location. Forexample, in certain processing or packaging facilities it may bedesirable to cool fluids before the fluids are bottled or packaged inplastic bottles or containers because if the fluid is too hot whenfilling plastic bottles or containers, the plastic bottles or containerscan deform. By applying the removable heatsink assembly 1, 200 to thefluid pipes to dissipate heat away from the fluid as it is communicatedto the bottling or packaging location, the temperature of the fluid canbe reduced before the fluid is placed in the bottles or containers,thereby minimize or avoid deformation of the plastic bottles orcontainers.

Various modifications to the embodiments and the general principles andfeatures of the heatsink assembly its various uses for residential,commercial and industrial applications will be readily apparent to thoseof skill in the art.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A removable heatsink assembly adapted toremovably receive a pipe, comprising: a first plurality of adjacentlyspaced fins, each having a collar flange projecting outwardly from aface thereof, the collar flange sized to receive a portion of the pipe,each of the first plurality of fins further having a spacer rod hole anda hinge rod hole; a second plurality of adjacently spaced fins, eachhaving a collar flange projecting outwardly from a face thereof, thecollar flange sized to receive a portion of the pipe, each of the secondplurality of fins further having a spacer rod hole and a hinge rod hole;a first spacer rod extending through the spacer rod holes of each of thefirst plurality of adjacently spaced fins, thereby producing a first finsubassembly; a second spacer rod extending through the spacer rod holesof each of the second plurality of adjacently spaced fins, therebyproducing a second fin subassembly; a singular hinge rod extendingthrough the hinge rod hole of each of the plurality of first and secondadjacently spaced fins of the respective first fin subassembly andsecond fin subassembly, thereby producing a single unitary assembly inwhich the first and second fin subassemblies are pivotally movable aboutthe hinge rod between an open position and a closed position, wherein,in the open position, the first fin subassembly and second finsubassembly are removably positionable over the pipe, and wherein, inthe closed position, the collar flanges of the first and secondplurality of fins of the respective first and second fin subassembliessubstantially surround the pipe; and a fin clamp removably securing thefirst and second fin subassemblies together in the closed position aboutthe pipe; whereby said first and second fin subassemblies are removablefrom around the pipe together as the single unitary assembly, afterremoving the fin clamp and pivoting the first and second finsubassemblies about the singular hinge rod from the closed position tothe open position.
 2. The removable heatsink assembly of claim 1 whereinthe collar flanges serve as spacers between adjacent ones of the firstand second plurality of fins.
 3. The removable heatsink assembly ofclaim 1 wherein each of the first and second plurality of fins includesa spacer tab projecting outwardly from the face of the respective firstand second plurality of fins.
 4. The removable heatsink assembly ofclaim 3 wherein the spacer tabs serve as spacers between adjacent onesof the first and second plurality of fins.
 5. The removable heatsinkassembly of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of fins are oriented onthe hinge rod with the collar flanges extending only in a firstdirection and wherein the second plurality of fins are oriented on thehinge rod with the collar flanges extending only in a second directionopposite the first direction.
 6. The removable heatsink assembly ofclaim 1 wherein the fin clamp secures to the first and second spacerrods.
 7. The removable heatsink assembly of claim 1 wherein the finclamp comprises a first bar and a second bar and a plurality of threadedfasteners, the first and second bars removably disposed on oppositesides of the first and second fin subassemblies when in the closedposition, the plurality of threaded fasteners extend transverselybetween the first and second bars thereby restraining the first andsecond fin subassemblies between the first and second bars.
 8. A methodof removably attaching a heatsink to a pipe, comprising: placing a firstplurality of fins in adjacently spaced relation onto a first spacer rodto produce a first fin subassembly, each of the first plurality of finshaving a collar flange projecting outwardly from a face thereof, thecollar flange sized to receive a portion of the pipe, each of the firstplurality of fins further having a spacer rod hole and a hinge rod hole,the first spacer rod extending through the spacer rod hole of each ofthe first plurality of fins; placing a second plurality of fins inadjacently spaced relation onto a second spacer rod to produce a secondfin subassembly, each of the second plurality of fins having a collarflange projecting outwardly from a face thereof, the collar flange sizedto receive a portion of the pipe, each of the second plurality of finsfurther having a spacer rod hole and a hinge rod hole, the second spacerrod extending through the spacer rod hole of each of the secondplurality of fins; inserting a singular hinge rod through the hinge rodhole of each of the plurality of first and second adjacently spaced finsof the respective first fin subassembly and second fin subassembly,thereby producing a single unitary assembly in which the first andsecond fin subassemblies are pivotally movable about the singular hingerod between an open position and a closed position; with the first andsecond fin subassemblies positioned in the open position, placing thefirst and second fin subassemblies over the pipe; moving the first andsecond fin subassemblies to the closed position with the pipe receivedwithin the collar flanges of the first and second plurality of fins ofthe respective first and second fin subassemblies; and removablysecuring the first and second fin subassemblies together about the pipewith a fin clamp; whereby said first and second fin subassemblies areremovable from around the pipe together as the single unitary assembly,after removing the fin clamp and pivoting the first and second finsubassemblies about the singular hinge rod from the closed position tothe open position.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the collar flangesserve as spacers between adjacent ones of the first and second pluralityof fins.
 10. The method of claim 8 wherein each of the first and secondplurality of fins includes a spacer tab projecting outwardly from theface of the respective first and second plurality of fins.
 11. Themethod of claim 10 wherein the spacer tabs serve as spacers betweenadjacent ones of the first and second plurality of fins.
 12. The methodof claim 8 wherein the first plurality of fins are oriented on the hingerod with the collar flanges extending only in a first direction andwherein the second plurality of fins are oriented on the hinge rod withthe collar flanges extending only in a second direction opposite thefirst direction.
 13. The method of claim 8 wherein the fin clamp issecured to the first and second spacer rods.
 14. The method of claim 8wherein the fin clamp comprises a first bar and a second bar and aplurality of threaded fasteners, the first and second bars removablydisposed on opposite sides of the first and second fin subassemblieswhen in the closed position, the plurality of threaded fasteners extendtransversely between the first and second bars thereby restraining thefirst and second fin subassemblies between the first and second bars.